Apple’s famously walled garden in its App Store reduces the chance that any virus or worm could sneak onto your iPhone. It’s not impossible though, with the Web and e-mail and other possible routes of infection.

Android’s app market, Google Play, doesn’t have the stringent guidelines Apple does, so it’s generally regarded as more vulnerable to attack. In truth, both operating systems have built-in safeguards, but malware has a way of learning and spreading its tentacles. Even if your phone itself isn’t brought down, it can be a carrier for desktop infections.

Fortunately there are a number of apps specifically made to combat this kind of nastiness.

Virus Barrier iOS - $2.99 first year, $1.99 per year thereafter
Intego was the first company to get an antivirus program approved on the App Store, back in July of 2011 – four years after the first iPhone. Virus Barrier iOS doesn’t run scheduled scans, but lets you initiate scans yourself. It checks mostly for Windows, Mac, and Unix malware so you don’t pass it on.

Lookout – Free
Lookout for Android scans every app you download to make sure it’s clean, using the company’s constantly updated Mobile Threat Network. It also offers features to help you locate your phone if it’s lost, as well as backup of your contacts.

You can get more features if you pay a monthly fee of $2.99 or yearly fee of $29.99. Those features include:

Safe Browsing, which scans every link you click;

Privacy Advisor, which tells you just what the permissions of your apps allow them to do with your information;

Remote Lock & Wipe;

And Enhanced Backup for photos and call history.

AVG Mobilation - Free
There are literally dozens of other antivirus apps for Android, but AVG stands out because it’s the only one that comes close to Lookout’s nearly 300,000 downloads through Google Play. AVG has a long history of antivirus products for the desktop, both free and paid, so they earn some automatic trust.

Upgrade to Mobilation Pro for $9.99 and get App Backup, App Locker, and free support.

Malware may be inevitable on any widely used platform, but mobile app developers keep fighting back to keep it at bay. Do your part, and secure your device! Have a better solution for Android or Windows Phone security? Email us!